


Backup

by Ratt9



Category: Death Note
Genre: Angst, Competition, Drama, Gen, One Shot, Poetic, Psychological Drama
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-22
Updated: 2011-04-22
Packaged: 2017-10-29 19:55:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/323560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ratt9/pseuds/Ratt9
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Because, despite their similarities, Beyond Birthday is nothing like L.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Backup

_Backup._

The name had always disgusted him.

How dare he be given such a name when he was better than that man…"Original"?

 _~Smarter Better Faster Braver Stronger Greater~_

Lawliet.

The man was nothing more than a coward—always hiding behind the black letter  **L** that he always used so proudly. Why would anyone take pride in being a coward? If it weren't for his intelligence, no one would even notice him.

 _~I Am Not A Coward~_

It was not the actual name itself that bothered BB to no end. It was what it stood for.

 _~I Am Backup| I Am Whose Backup| I Am L's Backup~_

Why would he ever want to take the place of a coward? Why would he even want the vague association?

 _~I Am Not Him I Will Never Be That Man~_

He was not L; He was B. And B is ten letters closer to the top of the alphabet than

 **L**.

B was Beyond L.

 _~Above Beyond Higher Better Winner Different Same~_

Beyond copied Lawliet's appearance only to prove how different they were.

 _~Different But The Same~_

While L would be the Greatest Detective in the World, Beyond would be the Greatest Criminal in the World. The one who would beat L. The one to surpass him.

Perhaps the only one who could.

 _And the two would have exactly the same face._

 _~The Same Only Different Different But The Same~_

B would be the case that L couldn't solve. The case that would forever scar his conscience and his supposedly unrivaled mind.

 _~Lawliet Is Weak Beyond Is Strong~_

Beyond would make Lawliet learn what fear felt like.

 _~Afraid Shadows Lurking Fear Evil~_

But then, L knew the meaning of fear, didn't he? He felt it every day.

He feared death.

 _~B Isn't Afraid Of Death~_

It was one of the largest differences between them. And it would be that factor that would make all the difference in the world.

 _~Self-Preservation~_

B had nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Much like L, if he ever chose to acknowledge it.

The world may lose something if he died, but would L himself be losing anything? He had nothing to live for but the world.

And he can't care about what happens to the world after he is dead.

 _The world is nothing to live for._

 _~How Pathetic~_

Lawliet feared death, even with no reason to live for himself. Every move he made reflected this fear.

 _~Lawliet Is A Pathetic Coward I Can Win Against Him~_

B didn't even have the world to live for. No, it wasn't something to despair over.

Unlike Lawliet, Beyond had no delusions that could hold him back.

 _~Powerful Free Unrestrained Powerful Powerful~_

Beyond would embrace death—use it to his advantage—while Lawliet would just hide in fear of it.

 _~Exactly Like A Coward~_

A coward is a coward. No matter what sets them apart, they are all the same.

And B is not the same as L.

 _~Backup Insurance Backup Alternate Backup Plan Backup Backup~_

You can't be backup when you are the exact opposite of the original.

But you don't have to be someone's backup to be superior to them.


End file.
